Forest mum Helen Middlecote has broken an 18 year silence to speak about what was once described as the worst crash ever seen by emergency services on the notorious A48.

Eighteen years ago Helen's mother Eileen, brother Ian and his two children, Samuel, three, and Kieran, 15 months, were in a blue Montego car involved in a smash with a red Citroen carrying four young men.

At the time it was described it as the worse accident emergency services had attended on the notorious stretch of road, but Helen, 45, believes it would have been even worse if the air ambulance had not been on the scene close to the Severn Bore pub so quickly.

"I'll never, ever forget 21 February 1998," said Helen. "My mum, my brother and two nephews were coming home along the A48 when it happened.

Helen on holiday with her mother in Jersey, Eileen in America and Helen with Cheryl

"My mum and two of the boys in the other car lost their lives but if it wasn't for the air ambulance, the chances are I'd have lost my brother Ian as well.

"He was unconscious for 11 days and he was in Frenchay for months and months, but he survived. That's why I always support the air ambulance."

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Helen spoke out after Cheryl Barnes came into the Cinderford MOT centre where she works and mentioned that she planned to do a 32 mile, three day walk from her Cosmic Teapot Spa near Elton Corner to the Sugar Loaf mountain to raise money for the Great Western Air Ambulance.

It immediately reminded Helen of the events all those years ago when she was working for the same garage, which was then owned by Ken McNally, and she immediately offered to support Cheryl in any way she needed.

The air ambulance regularly attends accidents on the A48 which has claimed many lives over the years

Helen was on her way to work at the Gloucester office with her daughter on the day of the smash and missed the accident on the other side of the road by minutes. Her son was not so lucky.

He was following Helen in a car driven by Mr McNally, one of several motorists who stopped to help at the devastating scene which unfolded after the Citroen slid across the road and into the Montego at Denny Hill, Minsterworth, He has struggled with the memories ever since.

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"My boss rang the site to say Helen's mum has been involved in an accident and as soon as they got there, I just looked at my them crying and I knew it was horrendous," she said.

"My mum died three hours later. I did not get to the hospital quickly enough to see her because I could not find out what hospital they had taken her too.

"My nephews broke their legs but they were very, very young so they have no recollections of the accident, which is a Godsend. My son needed bereavement counselling for six years afterwards.

"It was awful for my brother. He could not even attend my mum's funeral. Imagine waking up to find you have been in an accident and your mum is already dead and buried. He's doing OK and lives with my father. But it's still difficult for him and it is with me every day of my life."

The air ambulance was scrambled three times from its base at Strensham Services and flew the injured to Cheltenham General Hospital, Frenchay Hospital at Bristol and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Gavin Childs, 20, of Oakfields, Coleford, who was in the back of the Citroen, and front seat passenger Steven Yeatman, 20, of Folly Road, Parkend also died from multiple injuries. Dean Harris, 21, from Milkwall and driver Matthew Pugh were thrown clear and survived.

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The Citroen driver was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in July 1999 for causing three deaths by dangerous driving.

Cheryl said she was surprised to find GWAAC relies entirely on donations and do not receive any funding from the Government or National Lottery.

"I have known a lot of people around here in the Forest who've needed their help," she said before setting off on Tuesday morning.

GWAAC head of fundraising and communications Emma Carter said the charity has to raise £2.6million each year to stay operational.

But Helen said: "It's really important what people like Cheryl are doing because I really do believe that without the air ambulance so many people like my brother would not be here today. The air ambulance has saved so many lives across the Forest. We have to support it."